(A) The Sutainabiliyt Professional 2010 Competency Survey Report

ISSP
The Sustainability Professional: 2010 Competency Survey Report

A research study conducted by the International Society of Sustainability Professionals
Authored by Marsha Willard, Carole Wiedmeyer, R. Warren Flint, John S. Weedon, Rick Woodward, Ira Feldman and Mark Edwards
March 2010
International Society of Sustainability Professionals Copyright 2010
Abstract
In response to a growing need to move the world towards sustainable development and sustainable practices within government and industry, a whole new profession is emerging. This research study was conducted to bring clarity, cohesion and credibility to this new area. The study, conducted over a 9 month period, sought to answer the question, What should a sustainability professional know how to do? A review of related studies and a backward chaining approach to identifying starter skill sets led to a series of interviews with invited experts in the field. This process culminated in a survey tool that was administered to nearly 400 professionals working in the field. This report summarizes the competencies identified as being most critical to the successful performance of professionals working in the field of sustainability.
Table of Contents
The Sustainability Professional: 2010 Competency Survey Report
Abstract
1 1
2
Table of Contents Executive Summary

Overview Issues & Challenges Skills Needed
3 1
1 1 2
Purpose of the Study

Why Consider the Competency of Sustainability Professionals? What Do We Mean by Competency?
3
3 4
Review of Related Studies

Sustainability Now! Workshop Hudson Gain Environmental Defense Fund Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education The International Institute for Sustainable Development PP4SD Conclusion
5
5 6 6 7 8 9 11
ISSP Study Methodology

Phase 1: Review of the Field Phase 2: Interviews with Leaders
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12 13
Phase 3: The Professional Survey
13
Research Results
The Issues Hard Skills Soft Skills
15
15 23 27
Implications
Organizational change and stakeholder management Technical skills are more industry specific Leverage current professionals as educators and mentors
33
33 33 33
Next Steps References Acknowledgements

About the authors of this report
35 39 40
41
Appendix A - Interview Questions Appendix B - Survey items
42 45
Executive Summary
Overview
In 2009 ISSP initiated its first research project to begin to identify the critical competencies necessary to perform the job duties of a sustainability coordinator or sustainability consultant. The study involved nearly 400 professionals working in the field of sustainability, well over half of them having more than three years experience, and nearly a quarter reporting over a decade of experience in the field. The study used both open-ended questions and ranking and rating questions for respondents to identify the most critical issues and skills of relevance to their work. This summary highlights the key findings of this study.
Issues & Challenges

When sustainability professionals were asked to describe the most important issue facing their organizations (or their clients organizations) in their own words, the top two major issue categories were: 1) promoting an understanding of the value of sustainability, and 2) dealing with climate change and related energy needs. Promoting understanding was expected to decrease in importance in five years, while climate and energy issues were expected to increase in importance in five years. When respondents were asked to rate the importance of a series of pre-defined issues, items rated most important by the group as a whole included gaining the support of management and customers, and financial issuesproving fiscal viability and attracting funding. Other issues rated as highly important involved change managementdealing with changing business priorities, overcoming resistance to change, and redesigning products and services to be more sustainable. Ensuring environmental compliance rounded out the top tier of these issues. Guaranteeing social responsibility performance was generally considered less important than environmental concerns. Perceptions of key issues and their importance vary by size and type of organization. Generally speaking, the larger the organization, the more important many issues become. The one exception was the need to develop the business case for sustainability. This issue was considered more critical by the smallest organizations. Those working in non-consulting organizations tended to be more concerned than consultants with educating customers and with staying current with scientific findings. Consultants, on the other hand, were more concerned with developing business cases, getting buy-in from top management, and benchmarking. Funding for individual initiatives was somewhat more important to consultants and those in government, education and nonprofits than to those in manufacturing/services. Conversely, those in manufacturing/services were more likely than those in other industries to think designing or redesigning product and service offerings is very important.
Skills Needed
When respondents were asked to describe in their own words the top skills needed for success as a sustainability professional, good communication skills came out on top. Other skills were mentioned less often by the group as a whole. When asked to rate the importance of pre-defined hard skills, the most important items cited were strategic planning, systems thinking and project management. Scientific expertise and sustainability accounting/reporting tended to be more important to larger organizations than to smaller ones. Financial analysis/ROI was somewhat more important to consultants and those in manufacturing/services than to those in government, education and non-profit organizations. Those outside North America were more concerned than North Americans with policy expertise and risk assessment. On the other hand, North Americans said financial analysis, vendor management and systems thinking were more important. Respondents said most hard skills will continue to be needed in the future because they are necessary for competing in a business climate, enable a strategic approach, are fundamental to change, and/or allow performance tracking.
Key Findings Challenges
Establishing the value of sustainability Climate change Building support Financing sustainability
Hard skill needs
Strategic planning Systems thinking Project management

Soft skill needs
Communication with stakeholders Problem solving Inspiring and motivating others
In general, more soft skills were deemed of extremely high importance than hard skills. Among the soft skills examined, those considered most critical were communication with internal and external stakeholders, problem solving, and inspiring and motivating others. Non-consultants felt more strongly than consultants about the importance of networking and influencing change. While important to all types of organizations, several skills were most important to those in government, education and non-profits: those included communication with internal stakeholders, flexibility or adaptability, inspiring and motivating others, and consensus building. In general, respondents said soft skills will continue to be needed in the future because they are necessary for bringing about transformational change. The findings of the study begin to paint a clearer picture of what sustainability professionals are called upon to know and do. This information will make an important contribution to the creation of relevant curricula to prepare professionals for the field as well as help employers determine requirements for newly created sustainability coordinator positions.
Purpose of the Study

Why Consider the Competency of Sustainability Professionals?
One of the central challenges of the 21st century is determining a way to achieve a more sustainable relationship between people and the environment. Scientists and policy-makers have begun to recognize that it would eventually be suicidal to allow a further undermining of the sustainability of ecological life support systems, locally and globally. At the same time, they acknowledge that development is required to eliminate destitution, ensure material security, and allow individuals and communities more choices and more power to exert greater control over the factors affecting their lives thus the call for sustainable development. But the practice of sustainable development by professionals is unclear with regards to consistency and standardization. At the same time, a combination of socioeconomic and environmental forces related to present global conditions have led to accelerating interest in mechanisms for promoting, verifying and validating the quality of professionals practicing sustainable development around the world. The concept and recognized need for sustainability in a global arena has matured to the point that society expects practicing sustainability professionals to act as responsibly in advancing socioeconomic progress, protecting human health, and conserving natural resources as other licensed professionals such as architects, engineers, surveyors and medical doctors. Professional credentialing bodies setting and administering standards for scientists, sociologists, economists, planners, and other professionals advising on inter-disciplinary sustainability practices are and will be called upon to fulfill this universal need. The practice of sustainable development is rapidly growing and evolving. As such, an increasing number of professionals are providing needed services in a variety of areas: planning and auditing, energy and waste management, sustainable food systems, watershed adaptive management, community economic development, sustainability science, business improvement, green building, international community Purpose of this study: development, and facilities management to name just a 1. Bring consistency to the field few. With this proliferation comes growing confusion and 2. Support professional development disparity in the quality and consistency of professional 3. Aid consumers of professional services as well as potential uncertainty regarding basic services principles and concepts. The time has come to engage the professional community in a dialogue about the competencies practitioners in the diverse areas of sustainability should have to: 1. Bring consistency to the level of professionalism in the field. 2. Help those who want to enter the field with their training, learning, and development. 3. Aid consumers in distinguishing among service providers, vendors and potential employees.
What Do We Mean by Competency?

Achieving sustainability will require a new set of skills and abilities. We must revamp the decisions and activities of professionals so that they are supported by an understanding of science and business with the goals of: a) Integrating actions of conservation and human development. b) Satisfying basic human needs. c) Achieving equality and social justice for all. d) Facilitating social self-determination and cultural diversity. e) Managing our legacy for future generations. f) Maintaining ecological integrity. g) Developing new technologies and product manufacturing processes. In order to attain this model of practice, existing and aspiring practitioners in different areas of sustainable development should be exposed to a consistent set of criteria and competencies defining their educational achievements in the overall field of sustainability. This study was designed to identify the most commonly used set of competencies for those working in the field. A competency is an observable, behavioral act that demonstrates a professionals knowledge, skill and ability (KSA). (Pojasek, 2008). ISSP seeks to create a comprehensive taxonomy of competencies that define professional conduct and practice in the field of sustainability and that fulfill the requirements of organizations and communities pursuing sustainability. This taxonomy would, by itself, be a valuable resource to the profession, as it would provide clear guidance to members of the field for their professional development. In addition, it would form the foundation for more consistency across training and educational programs, and could eventually support the development of professional accreditation. This study takes into consideration the complexity of disciplines within the practice of sustainable development and the emerging field of sustainability science. ISSP wishes to establish criteria and competencies for practice in the very diverse and complex field of sustainability that will provide the various involved professionals a sense of recognition and credibility with their peers and with the public served by their work.
Review of Related Studies

The Sustainability Professional: 2010 Competency Survey Report is one of the first comprehensive assessments of the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for practicing sustainability professionals, but like many pioneers, the ISSP researchers relied on the earlier work of others in crafting and refining their survey methodology. Below is a summary of previous research on key sustainability competencies from a variety of sources.
Sustainability Now! Workshop

In part, the genesis of ISSPs current effort on competencies for sustainability professionals was a workshop convened at George Washington University in 2006, which focused on the skill sets necessary for, and the potential certification of, sustainability professionals. Two current board members of ISSP, Warren Flint and Ira Feldman, who are also co-authors of this report, conceived and facilitated the Sustainability Now! Workshop, along with Mark Starik, a business school professor at GWU. Acknowledging that sustainability principles are not always well elaborated or applied and that there was room for improvement in how sustainability should be translated into practice, the workshop organizers brought together more than 30 sustainability professionals for a discussion of the scope of sustainability practice and sustainability practitioner competency areas. In the former category, participants shared definitions of sustainability practice; identified disciplinary domains and potential tasks of sustainability professionals; and explored underlying values and ethical issues supporting the work of sustainability professionals. In the latter category, the participants sought to articulate criteria and standards of knowledge, skills, education, and experience that would justify a certification program or a Certified Sustainability Practitioner designation.(Sustainability Now!, 2006) The summary report from the workshop details the range of disciplines and professions involved in sustainability practice; a catalogue of sustainability practitioner tasks; and proposed components of a certification program, including alternative goals, rules and outcomes. This initial effort also considered various approaches for areas of evaluation and demonstration of competencies. In addition to suggestions for core competencies and specialized skill sets (e.g., legal, communications, etc.), the report recognized that multiple paths for certification might be needed, mixing and matching education and experience. Looking to the future of the profession, the discussion ranged from the need for an independent board of approval to the need for a code of ethics. Finally, the participants debated the pros and cons of certification, along with suggestions for next steps, which included the formation of a professional society, since accomplished by the establishment of ISSP.
Hudson Gain
Hudson Gain, a New York City consulting firm, approached the issue of sustainability competencies from the perspective of applied research: If a corporation was considering hiring a chief sustainability officer, what characteristics would be sought and where could the best candidates be found? (Hudson Gain, 2008) The firm selected global public and private organizations, several mid size companies, and businesses with established sustainability practices and reviewed the experiences and education of 214 sustainability executives. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 61 of the executives. The interviewees in the study cited these non-sector specific or universal qualities, criteria and characteristics of successful sustainability executives: Communication skills Technology knowledge Financial responsibility Commitment to continual improvement Innovation Ethics Supply chain knowledge Operations, structure, and culture understanding When the 61 participants were asked to identify top-flight sustainability leaders and describe what made them special, they cited these qualities: Creative, innovative and breaking new ground Delivering results in sustainability across the 3 Ps (people, profit, planet) of the Triple Bottom Line Great communicators Someone who sets a vision, gets the ball rolling, and measures success typical in any function, but difficult in the new and sometimes elusive area of sustainability Freely sharing what they do with other companies
Environmental Defense Fund

The Environmental Defense Fund, a well known advocacy organization with over a half a million members, partnered with KRC Research in 2008 to conduct interviews with 25 senior sustainability professionals in Fortune 100 companies (Janin, 2009). The purpose of the survey was to understand what issues the executives tackled in their positions, the challenges they faced, and how they learned. Although competencies werent the focus, one can surmise what they could be by looking at the critical issues the executives identified as requiring mastery:
Building a business case for sustainability. Reducing energy costs, increasing efficiencies and shrinking the carbon footprint. Tracking and measuring improvements. Understanding regulations. Tapping into informal networks. Following best practices. Cooperating with others to share knowledge.
Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education

The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education equips school systems K-12 and their communities with the core content, competencies and habits of mind that characterize education for a sustainable future. With a target on classrooms instead of the boardroom, the Cloud Institute takes a high altitude birds eye view on elements of sustainability: 21st century themes such as global awareness, financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy, civic literacy and health literacy. Learning and innovation skills such as creativity, critical thinking and problem solving, communication and collaboration. Information, media and technology skills, such as information literacy, media literacy, and ICT (information communication technology) literacy (the Cloud Institute, 2004).
The International Institute for Sustainable Development The Winnipeg based International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) produced a white paper in 2007 on their role in developing the next generation of sustainability leaders (Timmer, et al, 2008). 208 former IISD interns and young professional staff were surveyed, nine host organizations interviewed, and several focus groups conducted to identify the skills and beliefs required for entry, mid-level, and leadership sustainability positions.
Figure 1. Skills and beliefs for sustainability professionals SKILLS 1. Staff and team management 2. Long-term planning 3. Project management 4. Financial skills 5. Donor or client relations 6. Communication skills 7. Translating complex ideas 8. Analytical rigor 9. Knowledge management 10. Influencing strategy 11. Awareness of stakeholder roles 12. Geo-political awareness 13. Facilitation skills 14. Network management 15. Systems approach 16. Understanding global institutions & processes 17. Understanding the private sector 18. Managing unpredictability 19. Bridging disciplines or sectors 20. Bridging cultures 21. Managing diversity in the workplace & socially 1. Global mindset 2. Rooted in community 3. Thirst for global awareness 4. Equity 5. Sense of urgency 6. Passion for sustainability 7. Capacity for innovation 8. Embrace a learning culture 9. Accept trade-offs 10. Tenacity 11. Warmth in human relationships 12. Respect for diversity 13. Science as part of the solution 14. Value integrated thinking 15. Commitment to sustainable living BELIEFS
PP4SD Fourteen professional bodies in the United Kingdom launched an initiative called Professional Practice for Sustainable Development (PP4SD). The objectives were: To engage the participating professions in a learning process to develop a common curriculum framework for sustainable development. To develop, test and publish training materials derived from the framework appropriate to the needs of the professional institutions. The professional organizations published a report in 2000 identifying what all sustainability professionals should know. Disappointedly, the researchers failed to describe the methodology they used to arrive at their extensive list of knowledge areas (Hall, 2003).
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Figure 2. Knowledge areas for sustainability professionals ACTION TOOLS Economic instruments Avoiding, remedying and mitigating environmental effects Public education and awareness, both at home and at work Sectoral strategies for sustainable development, e.g. transport, energy, waste, etc. An achievable plan for you as an individual (personal, spiritual and professional) An achievable path or plan for your organization Partnership Environmental management systems Legislation current and future trends, e.g. polluter pays Innovation Industrial ecology The Natural Step framework for sustainability Ecoefficiency Quality of life Value Sustainable economy Human needs Environmental assessment project, strategic, impact Social audit, indicators, footprinting HISTORY OF SUSTAINABILITY: progress to date CULTURE and EMOTION
Politics Cynicism, guilt, fear, denial Business; current state of play in various Joy, its not hopeless business sectors State of environment living planet index Creativity Social issues Attitudes to and perceptions of sustainable development
Threats to future progress of sustainable Image, style development UK Sustainable Development Strategy Definitions Ethics personal, professional and corporate Value judgments Vision Social, environmental and economic aspects achieving a balance: 10, 20 and 50 year scenarios The role of the professions General role Diversity of roles and responsibilities
Scenario planning, including Shell, World BSI, CEN and ISO Standards e.g. 14000 Helping professions become more Business Council for Sustainable series sustainable Development Accessible information and public Planning/town planning Biodiversity plans understanding LA21 Life cycle analysis Inter-professional working Carbon management Ethical and fair trading Stakeholder dialogue Waste minimization Supply chain management Factor 4 and Factor 10 Equal opportunities Leadership and change management Social and environmental reporting Dealing with trade-offs Technology transfer Risk assessment Science Systems thinking Thermodynamics Mans niche in the eco- and technosystem Interaction of industry and nature Complexity of interactions Air, water, land and space Regional variation, bioregions, the NorthSouth divide Population trends Limits to growth Business case for sustainability Examples of emerging business opportunities: renewables, fuel cell, bioplastic Natural capital, social/human capital, financial, intellectual capital Links-between health and safety, risk, accountability, stakeholders, shareholders License to operate Good management is efficient and profitable and good for the environment Working with clients Consensus across industrial sectors
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Conclusion Each study had a slightly different focus yet resulted in an overlap of skills identified. Communication skills were identified in more than one study, as was the ability to understand systems and to build the business case for sustainability. The nature of the information provided by these other pieces of research provided good high-level overviews of the field. ISSP sought to bring more specificity to the conversation in an effort to help professionals and the people that employ them determine more precisely the skills and abilities most critical to the work of implementing sustainability within organizations.
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ISSP Study Methodology

ISSP built on the existing body of knowledge in an attempt to further refine and define the field. A team comprised of ISSP members of the Board of Directors and associates sought to determine the precise competencies required to excel as sustainability professionals, both now and in the near future. The committee was made up of veteran sustainability professionals who collectively had decades of experience as sustainability practitioners, consultants, educators and researchers. The ISSP study included three phases of research.
Phase 1: Review of the Field

The ISSP committee first established an a priori competency matrix based on the experience of committee members, review of other studies and examination of existing curriculum from institutes of higher education offering advanced degrees or training in sustainability. Using a backward chaining process, the committee began with the job requirements common to sustainability professionals and then worked backward determining the abilities, skills and knowledge necessary to successfully achieve those job outcomes. This analysis enabled the committee to identify a set of both technical skills and soft skills commonly demanded by the work in the field. In addition, the committee identified several knowledge areas needed to support the performance of the tasks commonly required in our work. The beginning presumption was that work in the realm Figure 3. Working from outcomes to KSAs competencies of sustainable development requires complex experience and understanding of multiple concepts and theories as well as an ability to improvise, adapt, innovate, and dream up still more visionary-yet-feasible ideas about how to transform a global civilization or rescue ecosystems in trouble. Sustainability practice is a collaborative activity that assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors, and evaluates the options and services required to collectively meet an individual's, groups, or communitys socioeconomic and environmental well-being needs, using communication and available resources to promote quality, cost-effective, limited resource sensitive outcomes. Subsequent phases of the study sought to test these hypotheses in order to define more specific competencies.
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Phase 2: Interviews with Leaders

Based on this background work, the committee then worked with Hansa GCR, a full service marketing research and advisory firm, to craft a set of interview questions to pose to a chosen set of seasoned professionals. The purpose of these interviews was to validate our notions of critical skills and issues in order to develop a broader survey with high face validity. Hansa GCR and the ISSP committee identified a group of ten subject matter experts (SME) to participate in these initial interviews. The ten participants were hand-picked on the basis of their level of experience and standing in the profession. Each of the participants had at least ten years experience, several much more. Many are recognized authors and practitioners in the field. We are grateful for the time these individuals took to contribute to this study, lending their insight, experience and expertise. These SMEs were interviewed with open-ended questions to develop a list of items for use in the survey (See Appendix A for the complete list of interview questions). Hansa GCR contributed their time and expertise to conducting, analyzing and summarizing the results of the interviews. Using their conclusions, Hansa GCR created the first draft of the survey intended for use in phase three of the study. This initial survey was subject to several pretests. The pretests were used to clarify questions and eliminate redundancies.
Phase 3: The Professional Survey

After several reviews, the final web-based survey instrument was developed and administered by Zanthus, provider of technology-related market research and business consulting. The survey was open for completion from September through December 2009. The survey was written in English, but made available to our international audience (See Appendix B for the complete survey). Initial survey questions served to separate out respondents who did not meet the minimum age requirement or respondents for whom sustainability was less than a quarter of their current or recent work. The survey consisted of over thirty items segmented into these categories: Screening questions to assure the appropriateness of respondents Background and demographic information about respondents Current and future challenges and issues Current and future skill needs Compensation rates
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Requests for participation were sent to the ISSP membership, the ISSP mailing list, to members of other related organizations with whom ISSP has a relationship (e.g. Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, GreenBiz.com), to institutes of higher education that offer graduate programs in sustainability (e.g. Bainbridge Graduate Institute, Presidio School of Management) and individuals within the professional networks of committee members. Respondents self-selected by accessing links to the survey placed in the invitation materials and on the ISSP web site. Respondents were able to opt in to the survey at their convenience. The survey took approximately 25 minutes to complete. A total of 385 qualified respondents completed the survey. The survey had a sampling error of +/-5.0% at the 95% confidence level in the most conservative case (Some questions have smaller sample sizes and therefore larger sampling errors). Potential nonsampling errors should also be considered when evaluating the results of this survey. Chief sources are a focus on English-speaking respondents and potential self-selection bias, which may contribute to the relatively high level of experience among survey respondents.
Respondent Profile Demographics: 79% of sustainability professionals polled for the survey work in North America. 53% are males. 61% are between 35 and 54 years of age. Education: 93% have at least a bachelors degree. 60% have a masters degree. 10% have doctorates. 19% have completed a sustainability certificate program. 20% are currently pursuing one. Experience: 74% are currently in a paid position where sustainability comprises at least 25% of their responsibilities. 63% have three or more years of paid work experience in the field, and 27% have 10 or more years. 36% are consultants. 56% work in organizations with fewer than 100 employees. Compensation: 47% of U.S. residents earn between $50,000 and $99,999 per year (before taxes) from sustainability-related work.
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Research Results
The survey netted rich results. This section summarizes the findings from our three key areas of interest, beginning with the issues and challenges considered of most importance to the respondents and then following with a summary of the performance requirements those challenges imply. Performance requirements cover both hard and soft skills in an effort to create a complete set of competencies. The Issues ISSP began the survey questions with an openended question asking respondents to identify the sustainability issues of most importance to their organizations, and for consultants, to their clients organizations (see box). This question helped us identify where the field may be going while at the same time added context to the questions regarding skills and abilities that followed.
Q15 What would you say is the single most important sustainability-related issue [your organization is / your clients organizations are] facing? Please be as specific as possible in your answer. Q23 Now, please think about the sustainability issues [your organization / your clients organizations] will likely face five years from now. What do you think will be the single most important issue?
The top two major issue categories that emerged were: 1) promoting an understanding of the value of sustainability, and 2) dealing with climate change and related energy needs. Promoting understanding is expected to decrease in importance in five years, while climate and energy issues are expected to increase in importance in five years. Promoting an understanding of the value of sustainability reflected several underlying themes, including: Demonstrating the return on investment in sustainability initiatives, and maintaining a competitive edge while addressing sustainability issues. Obtaining funding for sustainability initiatives. Getting people to understand sustainability and begin to think with a sustainability mind set, and to adopt sustainable lifestyles. Getting buy-in from leaders as to the strategic and competitive benefits. We were not surprised to see issues related to energy and climate change near the top. Respondents spoke about climate change in a number of different ways. Some were concerned about the impacts of climate change on their world and their industries. Others made comments about their concern for how their
Sampling of verbatim responses: Overcoming the false preconception that sustainability means sacrifice and expense rather than the reality that it leads to opportunity and competitive advantage. Uncertainty over federal climate and energy legislation and federal funding and tax treatment for renewable energy. The balance between profitability and sustainability. How can we achieve both, quickly?
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organizations or their clients would need to respond in terms of accepting responsibility for their greenhouse gas emissions and, separately mentioned, about how to manage and decrease those emissions. As to how respondents see these issues changing over time, most seemed to believe that energy and climate issues will be increasingly important in the coming few years, as will increased regulation (carbon related legislation being the most often cited regulatory issue). Water (e.g. water availability, toxicity, management) also moves up on the list of concerns of the future. However, most respondents believe that the need to teach people about sustainability and convince them of its importance and relevance will begin to diminish over time.
Figure 4. Most important sustainability issues % Mentioning Now A 381 34%B 9%B 8%
B
In 5 Years B 375 16% 1% 2% 4% 1% 2% 2% 1% 0% 4%A 40%A 14% 12% 1% 9%A 9%A 3% 2%
Promoting understanding/value of sustainability (Net) ROI Competing pressures (profits vs. enviro impacts) Funding Mind sets for sustainability Convincing the public to change/adopt sustainable lifestyles Getting buy in from leaders and shareholders Proving the benefits of sustainability Market advantage from sustainability Staying competitive Climate/Energy (Net) Energy Climate change GHG management Carbon emissions Regulation and legislation Training and education Managing organizational change
n (sample size) =
5% 4%
B
3% 3% 3%
B
1% 0% 29% 10% 8% 6%B 5% 3% 8%B 5%B
[NOTE: superscript letters indicate those columns with which the difference is statistically significant]
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After giving respondents a chance to self identify issues, we tested the perceived importance of issues ISSP thought might be of concern. This listing did not call out specific environmental or social concerns, but focused instead on the internal workings of an organization. Of the eighteen items we listed, respondents again gave highest rankings to those four issues related to demonstrating the value of sustainability in terms of getting buyin, proving the business case both internally and externally, and getting funding for sustainability initiatives. Close behind were issues of Q16 maintaining focus on sustainability in the face of Rate the 18 issues provided on a scale of 1-7 indicating their importance. changing business priorities and overcoming internal resistance to changes that result from Q17 implementing sustainability related initiatives.
Now, rank the top three issues from among the top-rated issues.
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Figure 5. Importance of sustainability issues top tier % Rating Of Extremely High Importance (6-7 on 7-pt. scale) n (sample size) = 385
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Figure 6. Importance of sustainability issues second tier % Rating Of Extremely High Importance
20
(6-7 on 7-pt. scale) n (sample size) = 385
Slicing the data further, we see that these rankings change somewhat depending upon the size of an organization, and, of course, whether the respondent was working internally or acting as an external consultant to organizations. The charts below break down the responses to question 16 and question 17 by size of organization as well as by internal/external perspectives.
Figure 7. Issue importance by size of organization Number of Employees % Rating "Of Extremely High Importance" (6-7 on 7-pt Scale) A < 10 n (sample size) = Overcoming internal resistance to change Environmental compliance/performance Building support among employees Building consensus among divergent units Creating/maintaining sustainability reporting Designing a holistic system for env. mgmt. Social responsibility compliance/performance 133 39% 38% 32% 32% 26% 26% 26% B 10-99 81 42% 37% 32% 33% 21% 22% 27% C 100-999 70 46% 47% 51%AB 37% 37%B 39%B 26% D 1,000+ 100 55%A 52%AB 53%AB 57%ABC 45%AB 36%B 42%ABC
Number of Employees % Ranking in Top 3 A < 10 n (sample size) = Developing business cases 110 43%CD B 10-99 71 30% C 100-999 59 22% D 1,000+ 76 29%
Generally speaking, the larger the organization, the more important it is to manage change and build support. Similarly, larger organizations put more emphasis on establishing and maintaining systems for managing efforts and assuring compliance. It is further worth noting that the issue of social responsibility is more important in the largest of organizations and is significantly less important to smaller organizations. As indicated in Figure 8, those working in non-consulting organizations tend to be more concerned than consultants with educating customers, and with staying current with
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scientific findings. Consultants, on the other hand, are more concerned with developing business cases, getting buy-in from top management, and benchmarking.
Figure 8. Issue importance between internal and external professionals Industry % Rating "Of Extremely High Importance" (6-7 on 7-pt Scale) A Consulting n (sample size) = Educating customers or clients about efforts Staying current with env. scientific results and info 140 39% 23% B Other 245 57%A 39%A
Industry % Ranking in Top 3 A Consulting n (sample size) = Developing business cases Buy-in from top mgmt. Educating customers or clients about efforts Benchmarking against other organizations 110 43%B 42%
B
B Other 207 27% 23% 33%A 9%
19% 20%B
Funding for individual initiatives is somewhat more important to consultants and those in government, education and non-profits than to those in manufacturing/services. Conversely, those in manufacturing/services are more likely than those in other industries to think designing or redesigning product and service offerings is very important.
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Figure 9. Importance of issues by sector Industry % Rating "Of Extremely High Importance" (6-7 on 7-pt Scale) A Consulting n (sample size) = Funding for individual initiatives Re/designing product/service offerings Creating/maintaining sustainability reporting Designing a holistic system for env. mgmt. 140 53%C 34% 26% 26% B Govt, Educ, Non-Profit 118 62%C 35% 38%A 37%A C Mfg. & Services 126 33% 57%AB 33% 28%
Industry % Ranking in Top 3 A Consulting n (sample size) = Funding for individual initiatives Re/designing product/service offerings Changing business conditions/priorities 110 30%
C
B Govt, Educ, Non-Profit 97 43%

AC
C Mfg. & Services 109 18% 39%AB 25%B
15% 20%
22% 13%
Skills When sustainability professionals are asked to describe in their own words the top skills needed for success in the field, good communication skills come out on top. Other skills are mentioned less often by the group as a whole.
Q18 Thinking about the sustainability challenges facing [your organization / your clients organizations], what are the top skills that someone would need in order to be successful as a sustainability professional? Please list up to three skills, separated by commas.
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Figure 10. Skills deemed important to respondents % Mentioning n (sample size) = 379
Hard Skills
Q19 Please consider the following list of hard skills. Please rate the importance of each of these skills in terms of how necessary they are for you to be successful as a sustainability professional. Q20 Please rank your top 3 most important hard skills in order of importance.
The top rated hard skills -- strategic planning, systems thinking, and project management rose to the top of the list in response to both our high importance and top 3 questions, indicating consistent recognition across the board. There was a clear separation between these three and the next cluster of responses, which included: financial analysis, auditing, accounting and reporting, policy expertise, risk assessment, and life cycle costing. One interpretation of these findings is that the top cluster is somewhat more generic than the second cluster of more specialized skills. Indeed, one could argue that the top three could have been included as responses in the soft skill category, i.e. they were not specific enough to qualify
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as hard. Another interpretation is simply that the responses ranged from general and cross-cutting to the more specific and specialized, since the next lower cluster of responses vendor management, technology/engineering expertise, scientific expertise, process management is even more specialized. Hard skills will remain important five years out for a variety of reasons. The most frequently cited responses were generic in nature: hard skills as providing competitive advantage, as essential or foundational, and as strategic or transformational. A more specific response hard skills fostering performance tracking and accountability also ranked highly.
Figure 11. Hard skills needed for success now
Ranked in Top 3 Skills (n=369) 78% 72% 67% 43% 38% 36% 36% 35% 33% 24% 24% 23% 19% % Rating Of Extremely High Importance (6-7 on 7-pt. scale) n (sample size) = 385
58% 56% 44% 25% 20% 17% 13% 11% 18% 6% 12% 14% 5%
When the data was analyzed by organization size, there was a significantly higher importance placed on accounting and reporting for larger organizations as compared to smaller organizations. Similarly, technical expertise was considered a top 3 item in larger organizations.
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Figure 12. Difference in hard skill needs by size of organization Number of Employees % Rating "Of Extremely High Importance" (6-7 on 7-pt Scale) A < 10 n (sample size) = Sustainability accounting and reporting 133 30% B 10-99 81 22% C 100-999 70 40%B D 1,000+ 100 41%B
Number of Employees % Ranking in Top 3 A < 10 n (sample size) = Scient. expert. (chem., env. tox., climate) 128 11% B 10-99 79 6% C 100-999 69 19%
B
D 1,000+ 92 23%AB
Financial analysis/ROI ranks higher in importance for both consulting and manufacturing /services as compared to the not-for-profit group. Risk assessment is also more important in the manufacturing/services sector than for not-for-profit respondents. Somewhat surprising was the higher importance attributed to auditing in consulting and not-for-profit sectors as compared to manufacturing /services. Finally, as might be expected, we found a significantly higher importance placed on technology and engineering expertise for manufacturing/services as compared to the other sectors. Across sectors, strategic planning and systems thinking remain important, though they are especially likely to emerge as top-ranked issues among government, education and not-for-profit organizations.
Q21 Please consider the following list of soft skills. Please rate the importance of each of these skills in terms of how necessary they are for you to be successful as a sustainability professional. Q22 Please rank your top 3 most important soft skills in order of importance.
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Figure 13. Difference in hard skill needs by industry sector Industry % Rating "Of Extremely High Importance" (6-7 on 7-pt Scale) A Consulting n (sample size) = Financial analysis/ROI Auditing (GHG, Sustainability) Risk assessment 140 49%B 47%C 37% B Govt, Educ, Non-Profit 118 34% 40%C 27% C Mfg. & Services 126 47%B 25% 40%B
Industry % Ranking in Top 3 A Consulting n (sample size) = Strategic planning Systems thinking Financial analysis/ROI Auditing (GHG, Sustainability) Technology and/or engineering expertise 134 57% 57% 28%B 23%C 8% B Govt, Educ, Non-Profit 111 68%C 68%
C
C Mfg. & Services 123 50% 45% 30%B 11% 24%AB
15% 26%C 3%
There is clearly a North American bias favoring the hard skills in favor of financial/ROI and vendor management as compared to other regions, but the preference is reversed for policy expertise and risk assessment, a significant finding that will require further exploration and interpretation. We found that the systems thinking terminology resonates more strongly in North America than elsewhere, while risk assessment scores were high in regions outside of North America.
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Figure 14. Differences in hard skill needs by region Region % Rating "Of Extremely High Importance" (6-7 on 7-pt Scale) A N. America n (sample size) = Financial analysis/ROI Policy expert. (env. comp., res. mgmt) Risk assessment Vendor management 305 47%B 33% 32% 28%B B Other 80 31% 46%A 45%A 13%
Region % Ranking in Top 3 A N. America n (sample size) = Systems thinking Risk assessment 293 59%B 7% B Other 76 45% 26%A
Soft Skills
Our results indicate that more soft skills are deemed of extremely high importance than hard skills. Among the soft skills examined, those considered most critical are communication with internal and external stakeholders, problem solving and inspiring and motivating others.
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Figure 15. Soft skills needed for success now % Rating Of Extremely High Importance (6-7 on 7-pt. scale)
n (sample size) = 385 Ranked in Top 3 Skills (n=299) 28% 31% 30% 28% 20% 24% 29% 27% 11% 27% 15% 11% 14% 4%
One of the most striking findings of our study, as illustrated by the responses to questions 21 and 22, is that larger organizations prize internal communication skills (or, otherwise interpreted, they recognize internal communication as a stumbling block for implementing sustainability programs, so relevant remedial skills would be highly valued). In contrast, smaller organizations are more concerned with external stakeholders and influencing change outside the organization.
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Figure 16. Difference in soft skill needs by size of organization % Rating "Of Extremely High Importance" (6-7 on 7-pt Scale) n (sample size) = Communication with internal stakeholders Influencing change within your org. Influencing change outside your org. Networking with internal colleagues Number of Employees A < 10 133 74% 61% 64%CD 45% B 10-99 81 69% 63% 58% 46% C 100-999 70 89%AB 77%AB 47% 57% D 1,000+ 100 87%AB 83%AB 48% 76%ABC
Number of Employees % Ranking in Top 3 n (sample size) = Communication with internal stakeholders Communication with external stakeholders Influencing change within your org. Influencing change outside your org. A < 10 101 23% 37%CD 18% 21%CD B 10-99 67 16% 34%D 21% 16% C 100-999 57 42%
AB
D 1,000+ 73 34%B 18% 45%AB 7%
19% 40%AB 9%
Also, it was rather unexpected to find that, when comparing consultants to all others, networking with internal and external colleagues and influencing change within the organization were significantly more important for others than for consultants.
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Figure 17. Difference in soft skill needs between internal and external professionals Industry % Rating "Of Extremely High Importance" (6-7 on 7-pt Scale) A Consulting n (sample size) = Networking with external colleagues Networking with internal colleagues 140 48% 45% B Other 245 62%A 62%A
Industry % Ranking in Top 3 A Consulting n (sample size) = Influencing change within your org. 112 21% B Other 187 35%A
Interesting, and worthy of further exploration given its implications, is our finding that innovating is deemed much less important to not-for-profits (including government and education) as compared to consultants and manufacturing. The distinctiveness of not-forprofits is further emphasized by our finding that not-for-profits rate a slate of four soft skills communication with internal stakeholders, flexibility and adaptability, inspiring, and consensus building - consistently higher than their consulting and manufacturing counterparts.
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Figure 18. Difference in soft skill needs by industry sector Industry % Rating "Of Extremely High Importance" (6-7 on 7-pt Scale) A Consulting n (sample size) = Communication with internal stakeholders Flexibility or adaptability Inspiring and motivating others Consensus building 140 76% 71% 69% 63% B Govt, Educ, Non-Profit 118 89%AC 84%AC 85%
AC
C Mfg. & Services 126 72% 71% 71% 62%
80%AC
Industry % Ranking in Top 3 A Consulting n (sample size) = Innovating/rethinking the business Team building or collaborating 112 33%
B
B Govt, Educ, Non-Profit 83 8% 33%C
C Mfg. & Services 103 35%B 15%
27%C
Finally, by region, we found that North American respondents are more focused on establishing and managing priorities and facilitating or training groups as compared to their non-North American counterparts.
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Figure 19. Difference in soft skill needs by region Region % Rating "Of Extremely High Importance" (6-7 on 7-pt Scale) A N. America n (sample size) = Establishing and managing priorities Facilitating and/or training groups 305 72%B 61%B B Other 80 58% 48%
Region % Ranking in Top 3 A N. America n (sample size) = Establishing and managing priorities 237 31%B B Other 62 11%
Looking ahead five years, we found that soft skills are considered important for change and transformation purposes, whether applied inside the organization or in dealings with suppliers and partners.
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Implications
The findings of this study will provide important information to professionals interested in preparing for a career in sustainability as well as purveyors of training and education eager to help prepare those people. The implications of the results of the survey suggest the following focus areas for professional development.
Organizational change and stakeholder management

Change management is a key theme that emerges from the survey findings, across all organization sizes and types. Sustainability professionals recognize the enormous task of bringing about change, and all that it implies in terms of managing stakeholders, adapting organizational systems and building support and commitment. As a result, soft skills such as communication, facilitation, consensus building and networking are deemed of especially high value by the group as a whole. Demonstrating financial viability and return on investment are considered important enablers of change. Educational programs should stress these as core skills, and recognize subtleties between bringing about change within organizations (especially for large organizations), and doing so externally. Where feasible, consider partnering with organizations that offer training programs in communication, public speaking and persuasion.
Technical skills are more industry specific

Aside from planning and project management, many hard skills vary in importance by industry. This implies creating tracks for professionals of various types where they can develop expertise that is specific to their type of business or organization. The one exception to this rule is in the area of greenhouse gas auditing and action planning. While it is a specialty skill area in itself, the survey indicates that organizations in all sectors will need help in managing, mitigating and monitoring greenhouse gases.
Leverage current professionals as educators and mentors

Many current sustainability professionals have deep experience in the field. Many ISSP members, for example, have demonstrated experience in a variety of aspects of sustainability that stretch back into the last century. Professional networks, like the one created by ISSP, help connect professionals to foster learning and mentoring and bring strength and credibility to the field. With this guidance, professionals can experience a reorientation to existing education that includes: a) Principles, skills, and perspectives related to sustainability. b) Learning that is appropriate and relevant. c) A vision that integrates environment, society, and economy.
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d) Knowledge of tools and methodologies to employ in guiding and motivating people to participate in a democratic society, assess their core values, and live in a sustainable manner. With the appropriate training and continued professional development approaches, the sustainability practitioner should be able to bridge the gap in aligning economic practices with social and environmental goals as well as assist decision-makers to both select and synergize their efforts for maximum strategic effectiveness and efficiency.
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Next Steps
There is a need for practitioners to begin to conceptualize sustainability in the context of inter-disciplinary approaches that cross traditional boundaries of organizational development, technical environmental management, corporate philanthropy and public relations. As the professional association for this field, ISSP is in a unique position to support this evolution and forge consensus around the standards, competencies, practices and methodologies that define sustainability expertise and begin to identify specific objectives for education and training which will guide a new model for continued professional development of the practitioner. As a next step towards this goal, ISSP will take the information from this study and begin populating a matrix with information that will guide our understanding of sustainability competency core components as they relate to each other and to supporting professional activities. Building on the backward chaining approach described earlier in this report, ISSP will assign the skills and competencies and the implied knowledge areas needed to fulfill the tasks common to sustainability coordinators. A hypothetical example of what the Core Competency Matrix looks like after data has been entered from competency study research is illustrated by the following tables. These tables demonstrate the process we will ultimately pursue in identifying a complete, integrated picture of core competencies/learning outcomes in sustainability (i.e., what students must know in order to graduate and pursue a specific career in the field).
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Figure 20. Sample Core Competency Matrices 1 Knowledge (Concepts, theories ideas, processes) 2 Skills (process dynamics, tools, methodologies) 3 Attributes (Innate Abilities) 4 Performance Competencies (Job/Career Duties/Responsibilities) 5 Intended Outcomes (Educational Goal or job expectation)
Niche Market Basic Principles of Natural Systems Business Model Carbon Footprint Ecological Integrity Economics Environment Environmental Justice Environmental Management Systems Gross National Product (GNP) Social Responsibility Supply Chain Triple Bottom Line Ecological Economics Ecosystem services Efficiency Externalities Globalization Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Human Rights Natural Resources and Biodiversity Social Justice Value Chain
Pollution prevention (P2) Analysis of Environmental Problems Cap and Trade Socially responsible investing (SRI) Pollution Trading Systems Thinking Business Case Full Cost Accounting The 4 Ps of Marketing Designing a Sustainable System Life Cycle Analysis Ecological Footprinting Economic Restructuring Effective Communication Efficiency Indicators and Indexes Influencing the organization Interdisciplinary Leadership The Natural Step Sustainability Planning Systems Thinking
Accountability Change Agent Critical Thinking Ethical Decisive Social Equity Confident Integrative and Adaptive Local & Global Responsibility Open-minded Organizational Structuring Systematic Personal Responsibility Precautionary Proactive and Organized Problem Solving Process Focused Versatile
1. 2.
3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.
14. 15. 16. 17.
greenhouse gas reductions experience in developing and presenting sustainable business concepts, training, and burgeoning technologies knowledge of emerging sustainable business strategies measure progress through use of indicators performs life cycle assessments develop resource inventories waste elimination environmental policy/planning social marketing to change consumer behaviors environmentally preferable purchasing and supply chain management transportation energy saving write and present annual sustainability reports ability to work with teams to evaluate decisions based on financial and sustainability goals design and direct a sustainability operating system (SOS) conduct sustainability audits assist departments in development of metrics specific to their work areas understand basic principles that govern natural systems
Corporate Sustainability Manager
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1 Knowledge (Concepts, theories ideas, processes)
2 Skills (process dynamics, tools, methodologies)
3 Attributes (Innate Abilities)
4 Performance Competencies (Job/Career Duties/Responsibilities)
5 Intended Outcomes (Educational Goal or job expectation)
Globalization Governance Green Building Ecosystems Adaptive Management Tragedy of the Commons Land Management Basic Principles of Natural Systems Low-Impact Development (LID) Carbon Footprint Ecological Integrity Economics Environment Environmental Justice Intergenerational Equity Natural Capital Social Responsibility Natural Resources and Biodiversity Ecological Economics Urban Design
ConservationBased Development Analysis of Environmental Problems Citizen Engagement Community Development Assets Community-Based Decision-Making Effective Communication Team Engagement Ecological Footprinting Economic Restructuring Indicators and Indexes Influencing the organization Interdisciplinary Leadership Multilateral Organizations Negotiation and Conflict Management Pollution prevention Problem Solving Project Planning Public Discourse and Policy SWOT Analysis
Precautionary Open-minded Systematic Confident Change Agent Adaptable & Resourceful Diplomatic Observant Critical Thinking Decisive Democracy Ethical Flexible Integrative and Adaptive Lifelong Learning Local & Global Responsibility Logical People sensitive Perceptive Personal Responsibility Problem Solving Proactive and Organized
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.
17. 18. 19.
20.
environmental policy/planning effective communicator foster an environment of acceptance, fairness and mutual respect transportation planning environmental health and quality improvement climate change research and analysis greenhouse gas reductions resource conservation waste elimination foster an environment of acceptance, fairness and mutual respect facilitation, change management and group process skills project management and priority setting community partnerships identify sustainability project funding sources develop new initiatives that promote organizational or community sustainability understand the significance, definition process, and utility for sustainability indicators ability to analyze data, evaluate outcomes and recommend actions understand basic principles that govern natural systems recognize cultural, economic, and political forces that affect environmental attitudes and decisionmaking based upon science and technology understanding ability to marshal support
Sustainable Community Development Director
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Once the competencies for practice in sustainable development are identified and agreed to by professionals in the multidisciplinary field, ISSP and others will be in a position to partner with institutions of higher education in developing or strengthening curricula to train their graduates. Likewise, the competencies will offer guidance to those organizations, including ISSP, in developing training materials that fill the gap in the further professional development of the field.
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References
The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education (2004). Summary Outcomes and Indicators. www.sustainabilityed.org/download/pdf/BEE21_Indicators.PDF. Retrieved January 2010. Hall, A. & Martin, S. (11/10/2003). Professional Practice for Sustainable Development sponsored the paper. Professional Practice for Sustainable Development Initiative http://www.pp4sd.org.uk/downloads/pdf/SDandtheProfessions.pdf, Retrieved January 2010. Hudson Gain Corporation (2008). Going Green? Dont Hire a Sustainability Chief Until You Read This Report. http://echem.goiwx.com/downloads/HudsonGain_ChiefSustainabilityOfficerStudy08.pdf, Retrieved January 2010 Janin, M (December 2009). Sustainability Professionals, Research Shows Youre Not Alone. http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2009/12/17/sustainability-professionals-youre-notalone?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Greenbuzz +%28GreenBiz+Feed%29 Retrieved January 2010 Source: Pojasek, R.B. (2008). Pollution Prevention: Competency-Based Training. Sustain, Fall/Winter 2008: 33-35. Sustainability Now! (2006). Invitation and Background Essay, Agenda, and Report from the April 17, 2006 Certified Sustainability Practitioner Scoping Workshop at George Washington University. Available online at <http://www.sustainabilitynow.org/history.htm> Timmer, D, Buckley, C & Creech, H. (September 2008). Supporting the Next Generation of sustainability Leadership. International Institute for Sustainable Development: Winnipeg. http://www.iisd.org/publications/pub.aspx?pno=863, Retrieved January 2010
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Acknowledgements
ISSP wishes to thank the following people for their contribution to this study.
Hansa GCR is a full service marketing research and advisory firm built on a legacy of over three decades of experience and part of the R K Swamy|Hansa Group of India. Hansas practice includes a specialization in green customer experience research. Using a framework of psycho-economics, they measure, analyze, and advise clients on the dimensions of environmental sustainability and their impact on 1) brand equity and customer relationships, 2) product innovation, 3) marketing strategy and communications, and 4) market opportunity. Hansa, and in particular Paul Schwarz, contributed their experience to the creation and implementation of the initial interview survey for Phase 2 of the study.
Zanthus is a leading provider of technology-related market research & business consulting. They help their clients cut through the complexity to the insights they need to make critical business decisions confidently. Zanthus, and in particular Carole Wiedmeyer, contributed dozens of hours toward the development of the online survey tool as well as expert consultation in the data coding, analysis and interpretation. For over two years, members of the ISSP competency study committee worked tirelessly to see ISSPs first significant research project through to completion. Members include ISSP Executive Director Marsha Willard, Ira Feldman, Bob Pojasek, John S. Weedon, Warren Flint, Mark Edwards, Rick Woodward, Cate Gable and Matt Slavin.
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About the authors of this report Marsha Willard is Executive Director of ISSP. Carole Wiedmeyer is a Senior Research Consultant at Zanthus and an ISSP member. R.Warren Flint is Principal of Five E's Unlimited in Seattle, WA and an ISSP board member. John S. Weedon is chair of ISSP's Public Affairs Committee. Rick Woodward is a sustainability professional and ISSP board member. Ira Feldman is president and senior counsel of greentrack strategies in Bethesda, Maryland and an ISSP board member. Mark Edwards is a Professor of Strategic Marketing and Sustainability at the W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University.
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Appendix A - Interview Questions

i. Position Description
a) Id like to begin by asking you a little about how your organization is structured. Thinking about your organizations structure or org chart, where is your role positioned within the organization? b) To whom do you report? What is their job title? c) Does anyone report to you? If so, what are their job titles?
II. Job Responsibilities
a) In your own words, how would you describe your position? b) If necessary: Please tell me briefly about your primary job responsibilities? c) Which of the following are included in your job? Read options. Sustainability Health or Environmental Safety Corporate Social Responsibility d) Are you able to apportion your work responsibilities in terms of the three legs of the sustainability stool (environment, society, and economy)? If yes, What does that apportionment look like? Please explain. If no, Why not? e) Does your job description accurately reflect what you do? If not, what would you add or take away? f) Is your position a new role within your organization? Do you know why your organization created your role? If yes, please explain. g) Before accepting your current position, were you employed elsewhere within the organization, or did you join the organization from outside? [if previously employed elsewhere within the organization] Do you feel that your previous experience within the organization is essential to success in your current position? Why or why not?
III. Organizational Challenges and Climate
a) Thinking about your organizations (clients) position on sustainability, what are the key business challenges facing your (their) organization today? How do you see those business challenges aligning (or being apportioned) among the three legs of the sustainability stool?
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b) How do you see those business challenges evolving or changing over the next five years? Do you foresee a shift in how those changing business challenges are aligned with the sustainability stool? How so? (or Why not?) c) Does your organizations (clients) leadership team actively support sustainability efforts at your (their) organization? How do they show their support? d) What about the rest of the employees at your (their) organization, do they actively support the organizations sustainability efforts? Is employee support measured in some way?
IV. Success Criteria and Goals
a) [Dont ask if interviewee is a consultant] How well are the formal duties in your job description aligned with your organizations strategic sustainability priorities? Why or why not? What needs to added (or removed) from your job description to make it a better fit? b) What criteria are you using to measure success in your job? Is it, for example, based on outcomes, results, or benefits? And how does your manager evaluate your success? c) Give me an example of an important goal you had to set as part of your role. Was this goal attained? Why or why not? d) What action that you have taken has been most effective in encouraging the rest of your company to support efforts related to sustainability? e) Thinking about your current position, describe the outcome or achievement that you are most proud of. What resourcesboth at your company and for you specifically were needed to make it possible? f) Within your position, what are your professional goals for the next year or two? What are you hoping to achieve for your organization? How do you see your position evolving, both professionally and organizationally?
V. Barriers and Challenges
a) Now, thinking about yourself, what are some of the challenges that you face regularly in your position? b) Describe one of the toughest challenges youve encountered in your current position. How did you respond? What did you do and what was the outcome? c) In your current position, have you ever been called upon to do something that you didnt feel you had the knowledge or skills for? If so, what was the situation? What knowledge or skills did you wish youd had?
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VI.
Referrals and Close
a) Do you know any other individuals in positions similar to yours we should talk to? If so, capture contact details. b) Ive been asking you a lot of questions during this interview and before we finish up I wanted to give you the same chance. Are there any questions I should have asked but didnt? We have reached the end of the interview. We will be sending you a copy of the research findings as soon as they are ready. Thank you again for your time.
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Appendix B - Survey items

ISSP Competency Study Questionnaire
SURVEY INTRODUCTION Thank you for your willingness to complete our survey today. Results will be used to bring cohesion and definition to this emerging profession, as well as to inform the design of educational programs that will best prepare sustainability professionals for the future. Your responses are completely confidential. You will not be contacted as a result of your participation unless you indicate an interest in being contacted.
The survey will take about 15-20 minutes to complete, depending on your answers.
Screener QA) First, what is your age? SINGLE RESPONSE

1 2 TERMINATE
Younger than 18 18 or older
Q1)
For this research, we are surveying individuals who support or manage sustainability-related activities. This includes professional sustainability managers or coordinators, environmental health and safety officers, corporate social responsibility officers, or others who do planning, research, assessment or management in this field. It also includes consultants who work on sustainability-related projects. Are you currently (Select all that apply). MULTIPLE RESPONSE.
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Working in a paid position where sustainability represents 25% or more of your responsibilities (any type of position, including employees, consultants and freelancers) Working in a paid position where sustainability represents less than 25% of your responsibilities (any type of position, including employees, consultants and freelancers) Seeking work as a sustainability professional Volunteering in a sustainability-related role A student None of these
[MAKE OPTIONS 1 AND 2 EXCLUSIVE OF EACH OTHER]
3 4 5 6 [EXCLUSIVE; TERMINATE IF Q1=6]
Q2)
How many years of paid work experience [SHOW IF Q1= 2, 3, 4 OR 5 AND Q1 NE1: , if any,] do you have in the field of sustainability in total, including ALL paid experience? Please count only work experience where sustainability represented 25% or more of your responsibilities. SINGLE RESPONSE
[SHOW IF Q1=2, 3, 4 OR 5] None 1 Less than 1 year 1 year or more, but less than 3 years 3 years or more, but less than 5 years 5 years or more, but less than 10 years 10 years or more 2 3 4 5 6
[IF Q1=2, 3, 4, OR 5 AND Q1 NE1, AND Q2=1 (Not currently working in the field (AT LEAST 25%) and have no qualifying experience, SKIP TO Q2A]
[IF Q1=2, 3, 4, OR 5 AND Q1 NE1, AND Q2=1 (Not currently working in the field (AT LEAST 25%) and have no qualifying experience, ASK Q2A. OTHERWISE, SKIP TO Q3A.]
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Q2A)
What skills do you think will be most valuable to you as your pursue your interest in sustainability (either in a paid or volunteer position) in the future? OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE
[TERMINATE ALL WHO ANSWER Q2A.] Q3A) What country do you live in? [DROP DOWN BOX (http://www.worldtimeserver.com/country.html), SINGLE RESPONSE] [IF LIVES IN THE US, ASK Q3B] Q3B) In what state do you live? [DROP DOWN BOX, SINGLE RESPONSE] [IF LIVES IN CANADA, ASK Q3C] Q3C) In what province do you live? [DROP DOWN BOX, SINGLE RESPONSE] TERMINATION MESSAGE: Those are all the questions we have. Thank you for your time.
Quotas
[TOTAL N = 1,000 MAXIMUM TRACK (MAY WANT TO ENFORCE MINIMUMS/MAXIMUMS): Currently employed in qualifying position: Q1=1 Not currently employed but have paid work experience: Q1=2, 3, 4 OR 5 AND Q2>1 Less than 1 year of experience: Q2=2 1 to less than 3 years of experience: Q2=3 3 or more years of experience: Q2>3 Country: Q3]
Current or most recent role
[SHOW TEXT ON SCREEN BEFORE Q4:] [IF Q1=2 & Q2>1 (Currently works in sustainability less than 25% of the time, but used to work more), SHOW TEXT: For the remainder of this survey, when asked about your most recent position or organization, please think in terms of your most recent paid position in the field of sustainability where sustainability represented 25% or more of your responsibilities.]
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PROGRAMMER: IF Q1=2, 3, 4 OR 5 AND Q2>1, SHOW SECOND TEXT STRING (most recent, etc.) IN FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. Q4) Which one of these best describes your [current / most recent] paid position in the field of sustainability? SINGLE RESPONSE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Climate change adaptation adviser Communicator (writer, journalist or blogger) Community development/activist Consultant Corporate social responsibility officer Designer (industrial, product, interior, architect) Economic development officer Educator Energy analyst or manager Environmental health and safety officer Environmental or social policy maker Facilities manager Greenhouse Gas (GHG) tracking manager or coordinator Investment adviser Land use or property manager or coordinator Project manager Purchasing manager or coordinator Researcher or analyst Social compliance officer Supply chain manager or coordinator Sustainability manager or coordinator Transportation manager or coordinator Something else, please specify
[PLACE Q5 AND Q6 ON SAME PAGE]
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Q5)
What [is your exact current job title / was your most recent job title in the field of sustainability]? OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE
Q6)
Which of the following best describes your [current role within your organization / most recent paid sustainability-related role]? SINGLE RESPONSE
1 2 3
Top level decision maker (CEO, CFO, CSO, CIO, etc.) Senior decision maker e.g., VP or director level Direct report to VP or director, typically senior manager or manager level Other managerial role Other non-managerial role
4 5
Q8)
Which of the following best describes the organizational scope of your [current / most recent] paid sustainability role? SINGLE RESPONSE
1 2 3 4 5
Worldwide Nationwide Statewide Region, division, agency or business unit Individual office or branch
[IF Q4=4 (CONSULTANT), SKIP Q9] Q9) Which of these best describes your [current / most recent] organization? SINGLE RESPONSE
(Code not used) Education Government Manufacturing Non-profit Services (not including education, government or non-profit) 1 2 3 4 5 6
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Q10)
Including all locations, how many employees work for your [current / most recent] organization, including you? Your best estimate is fine. SINGLE RESPONSE
1 to 4 5 to 9 10 to 99 100 to 249 250 to 499 500 to 999 1,000 to 1,999 2,000 to 4,999 5,000 or more
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Background and Experience
Q11)
Which of the following best describes your status prior to starting your [current / most recent] paid sustainability-related role? SINGLE RESPONSE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Employed in a sustainability-related role elsewhere in my organization Employed in a non-sustainability-related role elsewhere in my organization Employed in a sustainability-related role at a different organization Employed in a non-sustainability-related role at a different organization Student Volunteer with a non-profit sustainability-related organization Other, please specify
Q12A) Please indicate which, if any, of the following educational degree programs you are currently pursuing, and the related field for each. If you are not sure of the field, please write Unsure. Select all that apply. MULTIPLE RESPONSE
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A. Currently pursuing
1. [CHECKBOX]
2. In what field? (Ex: Agriculture, Business, Engineering, etc.)
Bachelors degree Masters degree PhD or Doctorate Not currently pursuing any of these
1 2 3 4 [EXCLUSIVE]
Q12B)
Please indicate which, if any, of the following educational degree programs you have completed, and the related field for each. Select all that apply. MULTIPLE RESPONSE
2. In what field? (Ex: Agriculture, Business, Engineering, etc.)
B. Completed
1. [CHECKBOX]
Bachelors degree Masters degree PhD or Doctorate Have not completed any of these
1 2 3 4 [EXCLUSIVE]
Q13A) Please indicate which, if any, of the following certification programs you are currently pursuing, and the related certifying organization for each. Select all that apply. If you are pursuing more than one certificate per category/row below, please list them separately under Certifying organization(s), separated by commas. For example: Univ. of Oregon Sustainability Leadership Certificate, ISSP Professional Certificate in Sustainability MULTIPLE RESPONSE
1 Currently pursuing 2 Certifying organization(s)
Certification program(s) in sustainability Other type of certification program(s)
1 2
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Not currently pursuing any of these
[EXCLUSIVE]
Q13B)
Please indicate which, if any, of the following certification programs you have completed, and the related certifying organization for each. Select all that apply. If you are pursuing more than one certificate per category/row below, please list them separately under Certifying organization(s), separated by commas. For example: Univ. of Oregon Sustainability Leadership Certificate, ISSP Professional Certificate in Sustainability. MULTIPLE RESPONSE
Have completed
2 Certifying organization(s)
Certification program(s) in sustainability
Other type of certification program(s)
Have not completed any of these
[EXCLUSIVE]
Q14)
Please rate how relevant your completed educational program was in preparing you for your sustainability-related work experience. [7-POINT SCALE WHERE 1=Not very relevant and 7=Extremely relevant].
Current Challenges, Skills and competencies
[PROGRAMMER: IF Q4=4 (CONSULTANT ROLE), SHOW YOUR CLIENTS LANGUAGE AT Q15, Q16, Q17, Q18, AND Q23.] Q15) Next, wed like to know your opinions about issues related to the field of sustainability. What would you say is the single most important sustainability-related issue [your organization is / your clients organizations are] facing? Please be as specific as possible in your answer. OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE
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Q16)
Next, please rate the importance of each of the following sustainability-related issues to [your organization / your clients organizations]. SINGLE RESPONSE PER ROW [SPLIT ONTO TWO SCREENS AND REPEAT QUESTION TEXT ON SECOND SCREEN; RANDOMIZE SCREENS AND ATTRIBUTES WITHIN SCREENS]
Of extremely low importance Of extremely high importance 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7
1. 2. 3.
Getting buy-in or support from top management Building support among employees Creating and maintaining organizational sustainability reporting e.g., annual report or GRI framework Ensuring environmental compliance/performance Monitoring changes in legislation and regulation Benchmarking your organizations performance against other organizations Obtaining funding for individual sustainability initiatives Developing business cases for sustainability initiatives Planning and designing a holistic system for environmental management Implementing a holistic system for environmental management Overcoming internal resistance to change Building consensus among divergent business units or departments Adapting to changing business conditions or priorities Staying current with new scientific results and information regarding the environment Designing or re-designing product and/or service offerings for your customers to be more sustainable
1 1 1
4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
15.
54
16. 17. 18.
Educating customers or clients about your organizations sustainability efforts Ensuring social responsibility compliance/performance Planning and designing a holistic system for social responsibility management
1 1 1
2 2 2
3 3 3
4 4 4
5 5 5
6 6 6
7 7 7
Q17)
[Show top 5 rated issues from Q16, including ties, with a maximum of 10 total. Respondents with 11 or more top-ranked issues skip this question. ] These are the sustainability-related issues you indicated are of the highest importance to [your organization / your clients organizations]. Please rank your top 3 most important issues in order of importance by dragging and dropping the issues into the boxes below, with the one you consider the most important into the box labeled Rank1, the second-most important issue into the box labeled Rank2, and so on.
Q18)
Thinking about the sustainability challenges facing [your organization / your clients organizations], what are the top skills that someone would need in order to be successful as a sustainability professional? Please list up to three skills, separated by commas. OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE
Q19)
Next, please consider the following list of hard skills. Please rate the importance of each of these skills in terms of how necessary they are for you to be successful as a sustainability professional. [SPLIT ONTO TWO SCREENS AND REPEAT QUESTION TEXT ON SECOND SCREEN; RANDOMIZE SCREENS AND ATTRIBUTES WITHIN SCREENS]
Of extremely high importance 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7
Of extremely low importance 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Financial analysis e.g., calculating ROI Sustainability accounting and reporting e.g., using GRI framework Strategic planning Systems thinking Risk assessment 1 1 1 1 1
55
6.
Scientific expertise related to chemistry, environmental toxicology, climate change, etc. Policy expertise related to environmental compliance or natural resource management Vendor management e.g., selecting outside vendors and contractors Project management Process management e.g., Six Sigma management systems Technology and/or engineering expertise Auditing (e.g. greenhouse gas audits, sustainability audits) Life cycle costing and/or life cycle assessments
7.
8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.
1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4
5 5 5 5 5 5
6 6 6 6 6 6
7 7 7 7 7 7
Q20)
[Show top 5 highest rated items at Q19, including ties, with a maximum of 10 total. Respondents with 11 or more top-ranked items skip this question.] These are the top hard skills you indicated are most necessary for you to be successful as a sustainability professional. Please rank your top 3 most important hard skills in order of importance by dragging and dropping the skills into the boxes below, with the one you consider the most important into the box labeled Rank1, the second-most important skill into the box labeled Rank2, and so on.
Q21)
Now, please consider the following list of soft skills. Please rate the importance of each of these skills in terms of how necessary they are for you to be successful as a sustainability professional. SINGLE RESPONSE PER ROW [SPLIT ONTO TWO SCREENS AND REPEAT QUESTION TEXT ON SECOND SCREEN; RANDOMIZE SCREENS AND ATTRIBUTES WITHIN SCREENS]
Of extremely low importance Of extremely high importance 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7
1. 2. 3.
Influencing change within your organization Influencing change outside your organization Consensus building
1 1 1
56
4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
Innovating the business (re-thinking the business) Team building or collaborating Inspiring and motivating others Networking with internal colleagues Networking with external colleagues Communication with internal stakeholders (listening, writing, speaking) Communication with external stakeholders (listening, writing, speaking) Problem solving Establishing and managing priorities Flexibility or adaptability Facilitating and/or training groups
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
Q22)
[Show top 5 highest rated items at Q21, including ties, with a maximum of 10 total. Respondents with 11 or more top-ranked items skip this question.] These are the top soft skills you indicated are most necessary for you to be successful as sustainability professional. Please rank your top 3 most important soft skills in order of importance by dragging and dropping the skills into the boxes below, with the one you consider the most important into the box labeled Rank1, the second-most important skill into the box labeled Rank2, and so on.
Future Challenges, Skills and competencies
Q23)
Now, please think about the sustainability issues [your organization / your clients organizations] will likely face five years from now. What do you think will be the single most important issue? OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE
[SHOW 3 RANKED ITEMS (HARD SKILLS) FROM Q20. IF Q20 SKIPPED, go to filter before q26. Show Q24 and Q25 on same screen.] Q24) Previously, you indicated that the following skills were the top hard skills needed for you to be successful as a sustainability professional. Five years from now, do you think that they will be the top skills that are needed by someone in your position? SINGLE RESPONSE PER ROW
57
Yes 1. 2. 3. [skill #1] [skill #2] [skill #3] 1 1 1
No 2 2 2
Q25)
What are your reasons for your response(s)? Please be as specific as possible in your answer. OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE
[SHOW 3 RANKED ITEMS (SOFT SKILLS) FROM Q22. IF Q22 SKIPPED, go to text before Q28. Show Q26 and Q27 on same screen.] Q26) Previously, you indicated that the following skills were the top soft skills needed for you to be successful as a sustainability professional. Five years from now, do you think that they will be the top skills that are needed by someone in your position? SINGLE RESPONSE PER ROW
Yes 1. 2. 3. [skill #1] [skill #2] [skill #3] 1 1 1 No 2 2 2
Q27)
What are your reasons for your response(s)? Please be as specific as possible in your answer. OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE
Additional Respondent Profiling Questions
We have just a few final questions for profiling purposes. As a reminder, all of your responses are completely confidential.
58
Q28)
Are you currently a member of ISSP (the International Society of Sustainability Professionals)? SINGLE RESPONSE
1 2 99
Yes No Not sure
[IF Q9 = 4 or 6 (MANUFACTURING OR SERVICES), ASK Q29] Q29) Which of the following best describes your organizations primary industry? SINGLE RESPONSE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Accounting services Communications Construction Education Electronics, Information Technology, Internet, Telecommunications Engineering services Financial (banking, investments) Government Health Care Insurance Legal services Manufacturing Natural Resources (Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Mining and Extraction) Non-Profit Organization Pharmaceuticals Real Estate Retail Transportation
13
14 15 16 17 18
59
Travel Accommodations and Food Service Utilities Wholesale Other industry; please specify
19 20 21 22
Q30)
Male Female
What is your gender? SINGLE RESPONSE

1 2
Q31)
18 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 to 74 75 or older
What is your age? SINGLE RESPONSE

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 99
Prefer not to answer
[IF LIVES IN UNITED STATES, CANADA OR AUSTRALIA (Q3A), ASK Q32A. OTHERWISE, SKIP TO Q32E] Q32A) What is your current annual income before taxes from sustainability-related work? SINGLE RESPONSE Please provide your response in your native currency.
Less than $50,000 1
60
$50,000 - $99,999
2 3 99
$100,000 or more Prefer not to answer
IF Q32A=1, ASK Q32B. Q32B) In which of the following ranges does your annual income before taxes from sustainability-related work fall? SINGLE RESPONSE Please provide your response in your native currency.
Less than $25,000 $25,000 - $49,999 1 2 99
IF Q32A=2, ASK Q32C. Q32C) In which of the following ranges does your annual income before taxes from sustainability-related work fall? SINGLE RESPONSE Please provide your response in your native currency.
$50,000 - $74,999 $75,000 - $99,999 1 2 99
IF Q32A=3, ASK Q32D. Q32D) In which of the following ranges does your annual income before taxes from sustainability-related work fall? SINGLE RESPONSE Please provide your response in your native currency.
$100,000 - $149,999 $150,000 - $199,999 1 2
61
$200,000 or more Prefer not to answer
3 99
[IF LIVES OUTSIDE UNITED STATES, CANADA OR AUSTRALIA, ASK Q32E. OTHERWISE, SKIP TO Q33] Q32E) What is your annual income before taxes from sustainability-related work? Please provide the amount, and the name of your native currency (for example, Euro, where indicated below). Your best estimate is fine. [NUMBER BOX LABELED Annual income before taxes AND TEXT BOX LABELED Name of currency, WITH CHECKBOX FOR Prefer not to answer] Q33) One last question: Is there anything else that you consider important on the topic of professional skills and issues related to sustainability that we havent covered? Please let us know your thoughts. OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE.
Q34)
Before you go, please tell us if youd like to SINGLE RESPONSE PER ROW
Yes Be entered in the drawing for a one-year membership to ISSP (International Society of Sustainability Professionals) valued at $150, or a $150 credit to use towards an ISSP online class. [SHOW IF Q28=2]: Be contacted by ISSP with information about membership, classes and other information [SHOW IF UNSURE IF A MEMBER OF ISSP (Q28=99)]: Be contacted about ISSP membership status No
1.
2. 3.
1 1
2 2
[IF ANY AT Q34=YES, ASK Q35.] Q35) Please provide us with your name and email address so we can contact you for the reason(s) you just indicated. [TEXT BOXES; ASK RESPONDENT TO RECONFIRM EMAIL ADDRESS AND ENSURE MATCH] Those are all of our questions. Thank you very much for your time. Your input is appreciated! [Send respondent to ISSP web site upon survey completion.]

(A) The Sutainabiliyt Professional 2010 Competency Survey Report

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ISSP

The Sustainability Professional: 2010 Competency Survey Report

International Society of Sustainability Professionals Copyright 2010

International Society of Sustainability Professionals Copyright 2010

Table of Contents Executive Summary

Purpose of the Study

Review of Related Studies

ISSP Study Methodology

International Society of Sustainability Professionals Copyright 2010

Phase 3: The Professional Survey

Next Steps References Acknowledgements

Appendix A - Interview Questions Appendix B - Survey items

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Issues & Challenges

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Strategic planning Systems thinking Project management

Communication with stakeholders Problem solving Inspiring and motivating others

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Purpose of the Study

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What Do We Mean by Competency?

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Review of Related Studies

Sustainability Now! Workshop

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Environmental Defense Fund

Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education

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International Society of Sustainability Professionals Copyright 2010

ISSP Study Methodology

Phase 1: Review of the Field

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Phase 2: Interviews with Leaders

Phase 3: The Professional Survey

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In 5 Years B 375 16% 1% 2% 4% 1% 2% 2% 1% 0% 4%A 40%A 14% 12% 1% 9%A 9%A 3% 2%

1% 0% 29% 10% 8% 6%B 5% 3% 8%B 5%B

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(6-7 on 7-pt. scale) n (sample size) = 385

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B Other 207 27% 23% 33%A 9%

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B Govt, Educ, Non-Profit 97 43%

C Mfg. & Services 109 18% 39%AB 25%B

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C Mfg. & Services 123 50% 45% 30%B 11% 24%AB

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D 1,000+ 73 34%B 18% 45%AB 7%

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